Winter Park To Study Lodge For Museum

WINTER PARK — City commisssioners have expressed interest in a proposal to save Oneonta Lodge, one of the city's first houses, by moving it to Mead Gardens to be used as a historical museum.

''I like the idea and I think it would be appropriate to try to save the building,'' said City Commissioner Gary Brewer.

At a city workshop on Monday the commission directed city planner Jeff Briggs to look at the feasibility and cost of pursuing the proposal -- especially because the current owner said he plans to remove many of the fixtures in the 100-year-old house.

The Oneonta Lodge, at 147 Interlachen Ave., was built between 1885 and 1886 and since then has been extensively altered. Wheeler has contracted to sell the property to a developer who has already received city approval to build a 13-unit, three-story luxury condominium on the site.

Wheeler said it is nice there is interest in preserving the old building but he does not think there will be much worth saving once he removes the items he wants.

''My contract with the buyer is that I have salvage rights and I'm going to take everything out of here that's worth taking,'' Wheeler said.

Wheeler said he plans to use the fixtures he takes from Oneonta Lodge to restore a historic home he has purchased in Orlando.

Wheeler said he would consider leaving Oneonta Lodge intact only if he is ''offered a fortune.''

Briggs said he did not know until shortly before Monday's meeting that Wheeler would be removing fixtures from Oneonta Lodge.

''I don't know how extensively they plan to salvage it. I plan to go over later this week and walk through the house and see what he plans to take out. If the whole thing is gutted it would make no sense to move it,'' said Briggs. John Twachtman, president of a group called the Historical Association, which is not connected to the city's Historic Preservation Commission, told the city commissioners there is need for a place that can be used to house and display historical items. The existence of such a museum would encourage more people to donate artifacts to the city, he said.

''All we want is a place that we can house stuff,'' said Twachtman.

Twachtman said he was told by a building mover that the Oneonta Lodge can be moved without too much trouble if it is cut into three sections. On Tuesday Wheeler said he still believes it would be extremely difficult and perhaps impossible to move the house.

''I invited Jeff Briggs to come over and see what's here.''

Wheeler said he has already talked to three movers. ''They said we can't cut it in sections because of the way the supporting walls are. It's easy for a mover who has not been inside to say it can be moved. I think it's an exercise in futility myself,'' Wheeler said.

Briggs said he will have an architect go through the house with him. It is possible only a part of the house would be saved, he said.

''Mr. Twachtman's position is even if the front is intact that's more than we have now. I guess we have to find another mover to take a look at it and decide how much it would cost. The cost could make the difference between whether the city says yes or no,'' Briggs said.

City attorney C. Brent McCaghren recommended that the city think of who would own the house and be responsible for its restoration and maintenance because it would be placed on city property.

Briggs said he is considering only Mead Gardens as the possible relocation site because he needs a firm cost to give the commission at its Nov. 25 meeting.

''I'm skeptical,'' Briggs said, ''because I foresee some large expenses, not just in the move but in the restoration.''